Public Transit News

Iowa DOT Honors Public Transit Systems

AMES,
Iowa – June 29, 2013 –Transit systems from Dubuque and Carroll have been
honored by the Iowa Department of Transportation for their accomplishments
during the 2012 fiscal year. Each year at the Iowa Public Transit
Association Conference and Annual Meeting, the Iowa DOT recognizes one regional
transit system and one urban transit system for the highest percentage increase
in ridership coupled with a decrease or lowest increase in operating costs.

The
Western Iowa Transit System – Region XII Council of Governments, providing
demand-response and subscription services in the counties ofAudubon, Carroll Crawford, Green, Guthrie, and Sac,
won the award as the Most Improved Regional Transit System of the Year.

The
city of Dubuque’s transit system, The Jule, won the award for Most Improved
Urban Transit System of the Year. The awards were presented in Ames during
the annual awards banquet cosponsored by the Iowa Public Transit Association
and the Iowa DOT.

The
Western Iowa Transit System, headed by Transit Director Tom Feldman, posted a 2
percent gain in ridership. This helped reduce the operating costs by 8.6
percent during fiscal year 2012. Feldman explained that ridership saw
increases due to businesses eliminating service vehicles and turning over more
transportation to Western Iowa Transit and a general overall increase in demand
in many areas. The system was able to decrease costs by focusing on
efficient ride scheduling and driver usage and streamlining spending in many
areas. This is the first time Western Iowa Transit has received this
award.

Ridership
on The Jule increased 11.8 percent, while operating costs only increased 4.9
percent. Jodi Johnson, interim transit manager with The Jule, stated that
througha partnership with the local colleges, offering free rides to IBM
SmarterTravel Study research participants, and more effective marketing of
their fixed routes, The Jule was able to increase ridership on their existing
fixed route service with limited increases to their costs of operation.This is
the second time Dubuque has received this award; the first being in 2010.

Michelle
McEnany, director of the Iowa DOT’s Office of Public Transit, states:“Iowa’s 35
transit systems play a vital role in the mobility of Iowans. It is great
to be able to recognize those systems that have experienced a large increase in
ridership. By providing more rides and increasing efficiencies, public
transit systems can take Iowans where they need to go in an affordable and safe
manner.”